Automatic headway-recorder.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.

C B BUCHANAN & G C JOHNSON AUTOMATIG HEADWAY RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. B, 1906.

5 SHEETSSHEET 1v avwenfow QB Bezcfiawaw C. 647077726072 akto'nnugb 'No.887,309. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. G. B. BUCHANAN & O. O. JOHNSON.AUTOMATIC HEADWAY RECORDER.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. B, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 R/ VV O J 5513 I R w. O W filmm s No. 887,309. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. C. B. BUCHANAN & O. G. JOHNSON.

' AUTOMATIC HBADWAY RECORDER.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.8, 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

No. 887,809. PATENTED MAY 12, 1908. G. B. BUCHANAN & G. G. JOHNSON.

AUTOMATIC HEADWAY RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8, 1906.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

@. R I 2 amm s PATENTED MAY 12, 1908.-

G. B. BUCHANAN & C. G. JOHNSON.

AUTOMATIC HEADWAY RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED 52M. a, 1906.

NORTH EAST RH. AM.

when?) W I/Z WM 5 SHEETSSHBET 5.

E '1" SgUTH W S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'CYRUS BALDWIN BUCHANAN AND CHARLES C. JOHNSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC EEADWAY-RE COBDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application flled September 8, 1906. Serial No. 383,859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CYRUS B. BUCHANAN and CHAS. C. JOHNSON, citizens ofUnited States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico, State ofVir inia, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in AutomaticHeadway-Recorders; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it gppertains to make and use thesame.

- his invention relates to recording systems for electric railways andhas for its object to provide a system which will indicate the number ofminutes between each car and the car following or preceding it, and alsothe time at which cars pass given points.

In the o eration of electric railways it has been foun necessary, inorder to maintain schedules, to have time points along the routes toenable the trainmen to gage the speed of their cars and keep them onschedule time. It has therefore been found necessary to have inspectorsstationed along the routes or at terminals to check the passing time ofcars.

the use of our automatic headway recorder located at time points alongthe routes,

there will be eliminated the necessity of having inspectors to makerecords of the time cars leave terminals or time points, and there willbe given a complete record on the record sheet, of the time every carpasses these points, which record sheet compared with the schedule timetables will show every car that is ahead or behind time and allow theoperator to locate the same.

The invention resides, broadly speaking, in the provision of arecord-receiving mechanism actuated by clock work and including a drumto which the record sheet is attached, means arranged adjacent to thedrum for contact therewith to indicate on the record sheet the time thevarious cars pass certain points, and a circuit closer arranged to beactuated by the trolley carried by the car, to actuate the saidindicating means.

It is not the intention of the system to individualize the cars butmerely to indicate the general time apart they are traveling and theconstruction of the system is such that it may be installed at any pointor points along the routes where it is desired to keep a record of themovement of the cars.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and arrangements of parts shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which,

F1 re 1 is .a view of the system showing the circuit closer and therecording mechanism in side elevation. Fi 2 is a detailed top plan viewof the circuit c oser, the top of the case for the same being removed.Fig. 3 is a detail vertical transverse sectional view thereof on theline 22 of Fi 1. Fig; 4 is a detail vertical lon itudina sectional viewon the line 4-4 of I ig. 2. Fi 5 is a detail .plan view of the recordingmec anism. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical plan transverse sectional view onthe line 66 of Fig. 5. Fig.7 is a detail view of the sheet upon whichthe record is made and Fig. 8 is an end view of the screw and drivingshaftf Referring more specifically to the drawings and more particularlyto the circuit closing mechanism, the circuit closer is shown ascomprising a casing having sides 7 and ends 8, and bottom 9 and a coveror top 10. The case is preferably rectangular in form and is providedupon the outer face of each of its sides and corresponding points withspaced apertured cars 11 between each part of which is bolted orotherwise secured the strain insu lators 12 which are in turn connectedto the trolley poles (not shown). Projecting downwardly from the underside of the casing and extending longitudinally thereof is a trolleywire hanger 13 of usual construction.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the casing for the circuitclosing mechanism is in circuit with the trolley wire but that theeasing is insulated from the span wires and supports.

Secured at corresponding points upon the inner side of the casing andpreferably at the middle thereof are bearing plates 14 which areprovided with openings 15 for the rose tion of the reduced ends 16 of ashaft 17, tffe shaft being in this manner mounted for rocking movementin the casing. The shaft 17 is provided adjacent its middle with acollar 18 and has its portion adjacent the collar and to one sidethereof squared'as at 19 for a purpose hereinafter described, and theportion of the shaft beyond the squared portion 19 is screw threaded asat 20, the shaft is reduced as at 21, and a portion of the adjacent end16 of the shaft is squared as at 22. The circuit closing mechanismcomprising a disk 23 which is preferably formed of fibrous material andwhich is engaged upon the squared portion 19 of the shaft 17 andabutting the collar 18. A washer 24 is also engaged u on 7 this portionof the shaft as is also one on of an arm 25, the said arm being providedwith a squared aperture for this ose. 26 serves to hold the disk 23 andthe arm 25 against lateral movement and is engaged u on the screwthreaded portion of the shaft. e arm 25 projects downwardly from theshaft 17 with which it is connected, extends through a slot 27 formed inthe bottom 9 of the casing, and has its lower end suitably arranged, asat 28, in position to contact with the trolley wheel or trolley harp, itbeing understood that the arm in this manner Wlll be oscillated to rockthe shaft 17 in a corresponding direction. The object in thus rockingthe shaft is to move the disk 23 to bring a contact segment carriedthereby into simultaneous contact with contact arms mounted within thecasing as will now be described.

The contact segment mentioned above is indicated by the numeral 29, isarcuate in form and is countersunken into the periphery of the disk 23as shown in the drawings. Secured to the bottom of the casing at one ofits ends and by means of screws 30 is a spring contact arm 31 whichextends upwardly at an angle to the bottom of the casing and bearsagainst the under side of the disk 23 but normally out of contact withthe contact segment thereon. Insulating washers 32 are disposed upon theone side of the casing and have their 0 enings registering with an opening in the said side of the casing, and engaged throu h the said openingin the washers and side ofthe casing is the reduced threaded end 32 ofan arm 33, and engaged upon the said threaded. end of the arm andoutwardly of the casing is a nut 33 which serves to hold the armsecurely iii-fixed position. The arm 33 is bifurcated at its outer endas at 34 for the engagement therewith of a spring contact arm 35, thesaid 'contact arm being held securely in the bifurcation 34 by means ofscrews 36 which are eng ed through the s aeed portions formed by iiliebifurcation in the armi The said spring contact arm 35 pro'ectsdownwardly from the arm 33 and under all conditions ears against thecontact segment 29 upon the disk 23. The arm 33 is provided adjacent itsjunction with its sleeve 32, with an opening 36 for connectionwith thearm of a conductor wire 37, and a set screw 384s engaged in a threadbearing formed in the arm and communicating wit the opening 36 therein.The conductor wire 37 extends through an insulating sleeve 39, which isengaged in an opgning formed in the side of the casing from w oh thearm33 projects, and is connected with a main conductor wire 40. Thereare two such wires 40 and two circuit closing mechanisms connected toeach recorder, when it is desired to record with one recorder the timeof cars going in both directions on double track.

A nut It will be understood that the conductor wire 37 from one circuitclosing mechanism connects with one of the mam conductor wires 40 andthat the wire 37 of the other circuit closing mechanism connects withthe other wire 40 for the urpose stated.

A plate 40 is provi ed with a rectangular OPGHIIIE 41 to permitengagement of the plate upon t e squared portion 22 of the shaft 17 forre ulating the movement therewith, the said p ate having portions whichextend in diametricall opposite directions from the shaft 17. Theapertures 42 are formed in the ends of these portions of the plate andengaged through 'each of the said apertures is one end of the helicalsprin 43 which is engaged at its opposite end wit a screw-eye 44 carriedby the corresponding end of the easing. From the foregoing it will beobserved that when the arm 25 is rocked; the arm 31 will be thrown intocircuit with the trolley wire through the medium of the casing, and thatthe spring 43 will serve to return the shaft and arm to their originalpositions.

The recording or registering mechanism of the system comprises a drum 45which is mounted upon a shaft 46 for rotation therewith, the said shaftin turn having mounted thereon athreaded screw 53, and one end of theshaft 46 which projects beyond the corresponding end of the drum, isslidably engaged through a bearin opening in a standard being -mountedard 48, the said stam upon a suitable base 49. A second standard 50 isprovided upon the base to one side of the end of the drum op osite tothat adjacent to which the stam ard '48 is arran ed and the saidstandard 50 is also arrange 'to receive the shaft 46 slidably therein.The shaft 47 is connected with a spring motor 51 of the clock work typewhich is arranged to rotate the shaft 47 once every hour for a urposehereinafter described. That end oFthe shaft 46 which extends beyond thestandard 50 is enlar ed at 52 and has mounted thereon a threaded screw53 and in order to permit movement of the screw 53 longitudinally uponthe shaft 47 and yet hold the same for rotation therewith, the saidscrew 58 is slotted as at 53 to receive a in 47 which projects at rightangles throug the shaft 47. he standar 54 is mounted upon the base 49and is provided with an upstanding tongue 55 which is held adjustablyupon the standard by means of the thumb screw 56 which is engaged in thestandard through the slot formed in the tongue. The upper end of thetongue 55 is cut away in the arc of a circle 1 and is in engagement withthe threads of the screw 53.

I From the foregoing it is to be seen that as the shaft 47 is rotated,the shaft 46 will by reason of'the engagement of. the tongue 55 with thethreads on the screw 53 be rotated and at the same time be movedlongitudinally through the bearings 48 and 50, thus carrying the drum 45in a corres onding directlon, and a shaft 47 is of such ength that whenthe drum has reached the limit of its movement away from the motor 51,the pin 47 will disengage from the slot in the shaft'46 and cease to actupon the shaft and drum to rotate the same thereby preventing binding orbrea'kin of the parts of the register.

A recor sheet 56 is arranged upon the drum 45 and held thereon by meansof suit-' able clips 57. Upon the sheet 56 are printed lines 58 whichextend longitudinally of the sheet and at a slight angle to the edgethereof, and intersecting the lines 58 are transversely extending ines59. There are two series of such lines upon the sheet, one being for thecars travelin in one direction on the road and the other or carstraveling in the opposite direction and in each series there is asufficient number of lines 58 to form a number of columns e ual to thenumber of hours of the day and night, and the said columns are numberedsuccessively at hour intervals. The transversely extending lines arenumbered successively to indicate each minute in an hour. By reason ofthe fact that the columns are not parallel with res ect to thelongitudinal edge of the sheet, w en laced upon the drum 45, acontinuous elical column will be formed by the successive columns.

In order that the record sheet may be marked to indicate the progress ofthe cars, we provide a pair of magnets 58 which are mounted upon thebase 49 and a pair of arms 59 which are pivoted at corres onding ends tobrackets 60 one above each 0 the magnets 58. The arms 59 are provided attheir ends with perforatin punches, inking points or the like 63 whicwhen the magnets are energized, contact with the record sheet 56 uponthe drum 45 as will be readily understood. Engaged u on the pivot -boltof each arm is a helicaFspring 64 which is connected at one of its endsto the corresponding arm 59 beyond its pivotal oint and at its oppositeend 60 upon whic the arm is mounted. The u per end of each bracket 60 isturned at rig t angles as at 65 and engaged through the said end of thebracket is a set screw 66 which limits the upward movement of thecorresponding arm 59.

It is obvious from the above that as each circuit closing mechanism isactuated, one of the magnets 58 will be energized to cause a mark to bemade upon the record sheet and that the difference in time between theactuation of one circuit closing mechanism and the next time it isactuated will be indicated upon the sheet, thereby showing the number 0minutes between cars at that point on the route, and it will be furtherunderstood that one of the main conductor wires 40 is connected with onemagnet and the other with the other magnet, the other end ofthe' magnetwires being grounded, so that a record.

may be had of the cars traveling in both directions along the route.

It will be understood from the. above that we have described our headwayrecorder as applied to a double tracked overhead trolley typp electricroad, registering cars moving in 0th directions; ould it be desired toregister cars moving in only one direction it is obvious that we wouldemploy only one magnet and one circuit closing mechanism. For recordingithe passing time of cars moving in both irections on a single track wewould employ either two circuit closing mechanisms or mount two disks inone circuit cl osing mechanism with the necessary additional s ringcontacts conductor wires etc. but wit the contact segment arranged onthe opposite side of the second disk, so that the cars passing in onedirection would bring the contact segment on one disk into circuit andthose passing in the o posite direction would bring into circuit t econtact se ment of the other disk. ile the above mechanism is describedas adapted to overhead trolley roads it is evident that with somemodifications in the circuit closing mechanism our headway recorder isequall as well adapted for use in connection wit the third rail orunderground ty e of electric railways.

It is to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, for obvious modificationswill occur to a person skilled'in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway signaling system, a recording mechanism com rising asleeve shaft, a drum fixedly secure u on the shaft for rotationtherewith, said s aft being supported for longitudinal movement, athreaded enlargement upon the shaft, a bracket having a portion enga edin the threaded enlargedrum fixedly secure u on the shaft for rotationtherewith, said s aft being supported for longitudinal movement, athreaded enlargement upon the shaft, a bracket having a portion engagedin the threaded enlargement to feed the shaft lon itudinally whenrotated, perforators ada te to make impres sions upon the drum, arivenshaft received within the sleeve shaft, said sleeve shaft be- '110 mentto feed t e shaft longitudinally when ing slotted, and a pin carried bythe driven shaft and working in the slot of the-sleeve shaft to rotatethe same simultaneously with the driven shaft, said pin bein so locatedas to disengage from the slot w en the sleeve shaft has reached onelimit of its longitudinal movement.

3. In a railway signaling system a recording mechanism comprising asleeve shaft, a drum fixedly mounted upon the shaft, said shaft beingmounted for rotary and also for longitudinal movement, a threaded sleevefixedly held upon the sleeve shaft at one end thereof and bearing at itsinner end against one of the bearin s for the sleeve shaft, a bracket,an angu arly disposed plate adjustably supported by the bracket andhavmg its u per end recessed for the rece' tion of the t eaded sleeve,the purpose 0 the plate being to feed the sleeve when the same 1srotated together with the sleeve shaft, a

motor, a she t driven by the motor and extending into the sleeve shaft,said sleeve shaft being provided with longitudinal] extending grooves, ain engaged throug the motor shaft and a apted to pro'ect at its endsnormally in the grooves in t e bore of thesleeve shaft, the pin being solocated that when the drum has reached the limit of its movement awayfrom the motor, the pin will disengage from the grooves in the sleeveshaft to prevent actuation of the latter by the motor shaft and toconsequently prevent rotation of the drum, and perforators adapted tomake impressions upon the drum.

4. In a railway signaling system, a recording'mechanism comprising asleeve shaft, a, drum fixedly mounted u on the sleeve shaft, a threadeds eeve fixedly ield u n the sleeve shaft at one end thereof and aring atits inner end against one of the bee for the sleeve shaft, an angularldispose bracket, an angularl disposed ,p te vertically slidable in theracket, a set screw for holding the plate in raised position, the saidplate having itsu per and formed with a semi-circular notch or the racetion of the threaded sleeve whereb when t e sleeve is rotated, the drumwill be also rotated and fed in a direction away from the bracket, amotor, a

shaft driven by the motor and extending into the sleeve shaft, saidsleeve shaft being provided with longitudinallyextending grooves a dpinengaged through the motor shaft and a apted to ro'ect at its endsnormally in the grooves in t e earin of the sleeve shaft, the pin'beingso located t at when the drum has reached the limit of its movement awayfrom the bracket, the pin will disengage from the grooves in the sleeveshaft to prevent actuation of the latter by the motor shaft andconsequently prevent rotationof the drum, and perforators adapted tomake impressions upon the drum.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

CYRUS BALDWIN BUCHANAN.

CHARLES C. JOHNSON.

Witnesses R. A. CARTER, J. F. CARNEAL.

